Special Coverage

Belmont: Qualia wins return

Qualia (3rd, $7.60), who won allowance races at Gulfstream Park in January and February, returned for Bobby Ribaudo and made it 3 for 3 this season after stalking La Concerto and drawing clear to win a $56,000 third-level allowance.

Qualia, a 4-year-old filly by Saarland, ran 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:16.38 under regular rider Rajiv Maragh, and improved to 4-1-0 from five starts.

Sneaky Girl was off slowest, and rallied to overtake La Concerto for second. Platinum and Powder Princess, two other 4-year-olds returning from layoffs, both failed to fire and finished far back in the field of five.

Though Saarland was a deep closer who was best at a mile or longer (he rallied from last to run second by a neck in the 2003 Met Mile), he's getting some nice sprinters like Qualia, and Saarlight - a speedy filly who looms a probable pace factor in tomorrow's Vagrancy.